NiGHTs into Dreams... Stardust; The Memories
by Sonic Rose
Summary: After NiGHTs into Dreams everything seems peaceful, but for how long? Slight Sonic Shuffle crossover. Rating just rose thanks to Chapter 3 for intense action.
1. NiGHTs into Dreams - Dream One - Nights ...

NoTES: NiGHTs, Reala, Gulpo, Puffy, Wize Man, Yadda yadda, Illumina and Lumina are © of Sonic Team. Yuji Naka has proven that he can do much much more than a simple hedgehog, creating the most fanciful world I have ever seen in a side scrolling game in a class all its own. The game NiGHTs alone makes the very dead system of Saturn worth buying. This is the opening Chapter to Nights into Dreams... Stardust; The Memories. I have dozens of ideas bubbling in my head for continuing this but I wanted a few opinions before I continue. So here you go! btw, this is NOT a high impact crossover. While Lumina makes an appearance and Illumina may appear later, the "Sonic Shuffle" team will have nearly zilch in the way of appearances here. I use Lumina as a counter to NiGHTs simply for the same reasons Sonic has Amy Rose.  
  
  
  
Dream One: NiGHTs into Days  
  
Nightopia, The Dream World... it is a world of peace and great beauty molded by the minds of the young. Dreams of happy times and places, peoples and things which are beautiful and untainted by hatred. And the colors of the dream energies means something, White - purity, green - wisdom, yellow - hope, blue intelligence, and red - bravery, rarest of all. While you dream, you may visit this place, but what about the Nitopians? Do they sleep? Do they dream or think on their own? If they have always existed as long as there have been minds bent on dreaming, then were they always like this?  
  
NiGHTs is the bravest of all Nightopia's inhabitants... and the last of his kind. The Aerial ace who stood against Wize Man and his minions - the Nightmaren - from destroying good dreams forever, is alone. The Last time this happened, he was the object of the dreams of two special children - Claris and Elliot. And yet, a dream without a dreamer is alone.  
  
'How long has it been?' NiGHTs thought to himself. Time was so trivial in Nightopia, because it didn't really have day or night, it was all governed by the waking world - at any given time there was always SOMEONE asleep, so Nightopia never saw interruptions because of that. Even their Sisterworld - Maginary world never saw true night.  
  
The Lone guardian of all Dreams stood atop the Nightopian twin Seeds Tower, and NiGHTs looked upon a beautiful Cityscape, the same one Claris and Elliot had flown over to save him. Such sweet children, so full of energy... All of them, not just red which the guardian of dreams thrived on. The city was bathed in twilight from which it would never see day, yet that didn't matter. Maybe here, he hoped to find... to find them again? He wasn't just the guardian of Dreams, he was also their guardian... would they ever see each other again?  
  
"There you are!" A female voice giggled from behind him. Without even turning around, NiGHTs knew who it was.  
  
"What are you doing here Lumina? Illumina send you here for something?" NiGHTs' usual nature was not to speak much, and was deeply reflective, but now he sounded... annoyed. Lumina had been his friend for... a very long time it seemed. He could remember once upon a time, flying above the night high in the air, looking over sky and sea, counting Shleep with his best friends Reala and Lumina. That however, was short lived, and perhaps that was only a dream itself. 'Dreamers, yes that's it' NiGHTs thought to himself, 'I am never so alive as when I have a Human Soul with me. Oh Claris, Elliot.. I miss you so much, if only we could fly again... But you have to grow old and pass away... but... I just don't want a new dreamer.'  
  
"Huh? No, NiGHTs! The Precioustones are fine. Illumina told me something was going on in Nightopia, I thought you might know what." the pink pixy-like creature said brightly, and her eyes seemed to smile even if she had no visible mouth to smile with.  
  
"What's wrong with Nightopia?" NiGHTs frowned.  
  
Lumina's expression sagged, and she seemed to hang a little heavier in the air. "NiGHTs, are you okay? You seem so serious. I know you're a protector now like I am... but still... Nights? If there's anything wrong tell me okay?"  
  
"Of course I will Lumina." He smiled softly, then looked back at the city. He thought he heard the sounds of a basket ball smacking against pavement, a rush of laughter, and footprints scrambling after it. 'Elliot...'  
  
"Nightopia to NiGHTS! Nightopia to NiGHTS! Come in NiGHTS!" Lumina did several midair back flips and giggled at NiGHTs harsh glare at her joke. "Maybe this is what Illumina wanted." She grabbed NiGHTs arm. "Come on!!"  
  
"Huh? Where are we going?" NiGHTs asked.  
  
"It must be 2 AM now." She said placidly, watching the sparkles in the distance turn into a flurry of pink hearts. To them, 'above' as we would know, was a mirror reflection of the ground, and the two were connected through a very large gnarled tree, at least in this dream. Between Terra and Terra, hanging in the firma, were floating windmills. To them it was a perfectly normal scene, sometimes the sky would be a rainbow, or like now, snowing pink hearts. "C'mon NiGHTs, I want to see everything!" That was her way of saying 'We're going to have a good time whether you like it or not.'  
  
****  
  
'Wize Man is gone... Fool... Why...?' Red was the color of bravery, Yellow was hope, White was purity... Black? A hand clawed up from the stone wreck it had been forced into. "Wize Man... Where are you?" The voice called, but there was no answer. The Black, red, and white harlequin like being closely resembling NiGHTs looked around its throne room. "There can be only one NiGHTs... I will be it!" he cursed.  
  
Black, it must be Impurity. What about those between shades? Those grays? Reala was it. But then again, he was only confused... Wize Man had seen to that. Perhaps the evil Lord of Nightmares had made both Reala and NiGHTs, but giving them free will... Reala had fleetingly seen the light.  
  
'Come now Reala! you must surrender!' A high pitched nightmarish laugh came from the mouthless face with twisted bunny like ears that flopped forward. It had a flashy yellow and red diamond shaped cape that was mostly white with a jagged edge to it, its Mickey Mouse type gloves held a Magician's cane and shoes floated in the air where a body should have been, at least in the real world. He had no body, for this was a Nightmaren, a particularly powerful one, and he, Jackle, was second only to Wize Man himself. At his command were magic cards to fly to his aid, and in his mixed up world were doll soldiers and jacks in the box... only huge with a vengeance. Discordant jazz type music wafted in from the background of his two bit reject circus lair.  
  
'I will not!' Reala replied charging at his foe. 'UHG!' He was thrown back into a rock which shattered to pieces on contact. Vile snickering at his expense ensued. Reala regained his form and flew once again at Jackle and his thrown. 'Nooohg!!' A Joker's Card smacked up against Reala sending him reeling once more. Time was running out, dawn was coming. 'Michael.... don't leave me... Don't wake up.. not now, I need you...' Energies of green and white quickly left the budding Dream guardian as dawn approached for his child... the Alarm Clock of the mind had come to zap him back to reality, and perhaps this Dream Guardian too would disappear with him. 'NiGHTS!' He called out in desperation, only the other Dream Guardian could save them now...  
  
'What's this? Another one? hehe hehe hehe!!!' Again with the insane laughter as a purple figure bolted for him.  
  
Dawn had come all right. Darkness grew around Reala who had lost the will to fight. A sparkling blue sphere of intelligence vanished into the air, then at last, the yellow jewel of hope faded. Michael's eyes opened, while Reala's began to close.  
  
'What a shame...' Came a dark voice with false pity in its tone.  
  
'Who is there?' Reala's mind raced. 'Wize Man...?'  
  
'If only your dreamer had not left you... tsk tsk.'  
  
'Michael...'  
  
'What kind of Dream Guardian should be reliant on a kid? Are you there for them or are they there for you? What a joke... Don't you remember Reala? Your purpose?'  
  
'My purpose....' Reala mouthed softly. A pain welled up in Reala, it was a Nightmare, literally for him. No Nightopian knows pain... No Nightopian has ever known pain, but then again Reala and NiGHTs were created Nightmaren. The sensation would not leave him as the glowing red jewel that sat atop the center of his shirt lifted from its post. The most valuable thing he had, Courage... hanging there in front of him... why?  
  
'Power... Hah, and this little bauble...' The hand of Wize Man flew to the energy shard and snatched it away from the ailing Nightmaren.  
  
'Michael....'  
  
'Is that all you can say?' the voice laughed deeply. ''Michael! Save me!' Disgrace I say...' The voice paused then continued, 'if your power depends on the waking, then you have no power... but I could show you what real power is... if... you give me this.' The jewel flashed before Reala's eyes.  
  
'I could become stronger...?'  
  
'Yes...'  
  
So the dark deal had been made, and Reala returned to being a Nightmaren after willfully giving his bravery to Wize Man. And now, he was fully bent to his purpose, destroying Nightopia and proving once and for all, that they do not need silly dream energies to be. And if that can be done, perhaps reality itself might be reached. "It seems that you were not as strong as you thought fool..." The eyes of the darkened one lifted to the demonic checkerboard on which he stood. "And I will prove that I am stronger than you could ever be, by defeating NiGHTs... once and for all."  
  
****  
  
Twin Seeds... the town where it all began, in the waking world. Here, we see fliers hung around town posting images for a pink hared woman in her mid twenties. It's the Twin Seeds Festival, beginning September 29th, and the city is certainly showing its festive face once more. Claris Edwards has sung at every festival since the Twin Seeds Centennial Fair when she was 14 years old.  
  
"Mama! Mama! It's so pretty!" A little pink hared girl giggles noisily clinging to her mother's hand tightly.  
  
The woman laughs. "Ahh dear one..." She smiles and turns to her blue hared husband.  
  
Elliot Edwards wore a long coat with the sleeves rolled up, and black sunglasses on his nose, underneath was a red shirt and brown baggy pants. He still looked a bit rough around the edges and he was. The highly acclaimed Basket Ball Player was always bustling and on the go, but always managed to take time to be with his wife and their child. "The City hasn't looked so alive in ages. Remember that year we met?"  
  
Claris laughed, "I'll never forget... Everyone would call it a silly dream... I don't think it was silly at all."  
  
Elliot smiled softly. "Yeah, who would believe we literally met in a dream anyway?" He sighed happily. All his dreams had come true, and he owed it all to NiGHTs. Then again, without him, there wouldn't be any dreams left to live. He shuddered a little at the memory of Wize Man.  
  
"Do you think we'll ever see him again?" Claris held her husband's hand, reading his mind almost.  
  
"I don't know... it's been so long since I've seen Nightopia. Years... Do you think he'd even recognize us if we got back?"  
  
Claris' face sagged a bit, "I don't know... I hope so. He was so nice. I just can't believe he wasn't real Elliot. If he wasn't real, then how would we have ever known each other?"  
  
"Mommy? Who are you talking about?" The little girl asked. "Where's Nightopeda?"  
  
Claris smiled down softly at the little girl. "Nightopia dear. And Nightopia is the place where all good dreams are. In it, lives the sweet magical little Nightopians with their fairy-like wings and Saturn rings around their little cone heads. They all have very big hearts... and Protecting all good dreams is the Guardian Knight, NiGHTs."  
  
"Wow! Really Mommy?" The girl bubbled.  
  
"Yes." Claris laughed.  
  
"Wow! Can I visit Nightopia too??" She smiled.  
  
"In your dreams dear heart." Elliot said affectionately. The three of them continued onto the park where a few local kids were having a basket ball game.  
  
****  
  
"Hi NiGHTs!" A chubby little clown like being with wings and a halo said, trying to keep up with the two aerial aces. He was a simple Nightopian, followed by another creature similar to him but... with Ram's horns and a fluffy coated body.  
  
NiGHTs and Lumina both turned to meet the Nightopian and... "Hell- o...." NiGHT's wide purple eyes blinked a few times to see if what he was looking at was 'real'. "...A Mepian?" He said looking at the funny looking Nightopian Creature.  
  
"A Mepian?" Lumina asked, her tone completely different from NiGHTs'. She knew what a Nightopian was, but she hadn't been in Nightopia long enough to know exactly what normal was. the Mepian just looked adorable to her, so she was confused about NiGHT's reaction which was more like 'What are you doing here!?'  
  
"Yes..." The Nightopian replied, the Mepian shying away looking sad. "Oh oh! Please don't go away!" He grabbed the little Mepian's arm and brought him back to looking at the others. "Why are you so surprised NiGHTs? After all, it was your bouncing Nightmaren around this world that created our hybrid friend here."  
  
NiGHTs sighed. "I'm sorry..." He looked at the Mepian, probably a cross between a Nightopian and a Shleep. When he sent those Nightmaren flying, sometimes they would hit a Nightopian - the two Ideyas would mix and a Mepian would be born. "...I just thought..."  
  
"What?" The little Mepian spoke up, "That we'd all disappear after Wize Man was gone?" It grinned sheepishly. "Nah, being half Nightopian keeps us here!" He smiled. "Besides, without us, life would get boring here fast." He made a fake yawn and stretched.  
  
NiGHTs laughed, "Sure it would... you guys are great at getting into trouble. Hmph." NiGHTs recalled one Nightopian idly fishing at a river when a Crewle Pole Mepian suddenly pushed him into the water from behind! UG... and let's not forget the Snip Mepians always starting snowball fights with others in the Frozen Bell.  
  
"Oh NiGHTs, they aren't all bad." The Nightopian said with an angelic smile. "This one's my friend! they are part Nightopian you know... it's not like they're Wize Man's slaves, they have free will just like you do."  
  
In that, NiGHTs couldn't argue, although it did disturb him. His free will allowed him to break away from the wicked Wize Man... but Reala... even if he had turned once, he only fell back into his terrible clutches. Maybe free will wasn't such a good ideya, it allowed a person to be good or bad depending on their choices.  
  
"Aww it's so cuuuute!" Lumina smiled and started scratching the Mepian behind his horns. A soft "baaa"ing sound like the bleating of a baby lamb carried from its voice.  
  
A ? appeared over NiGHTs head before he burst into laughter. "Lumina! I hope whatever enemies Maginary world has aren't that cute. You'd go right up to them and pet them to death!"  
  
Lumina Rolled her eyes and gave him a cross look. "Oh NiGHTs.... You party pooper. Can't ewe see he likes it!?" The Nightopian and Mepian, even NiGHTs laughed over the pun.  
  
"Right Right.... So what brings you guys here?" the Purple harlequin creature asked.  
  
"We wanted to see where you and Lumina were going." One said, the other nodded.  
  
"Ask her." NiGHTs laughed and glanced to Lumina. "I certainly don't know."  
  
"Crescent Carnival. It's a new dream, I saw when I came here! I'd just love to explore it." She smiled."  
  
"Crescent Carnival? I've never heard of that..." NiGHTs said. He looked in the direction Lumina was staring at, and sure enough there was a Carnival dream there. It had everything, roller coasters without supports hanging in the air, a giant ferris wheel, rides lit up with so many bulbs it made the place shine with twilight while the sky above it was deep rich blues with so many stars hanging in it it would drive your senses crazy. And despite the beautiful shining purity of the dream... NiGHTs felt something else and his eyes narrowed. 'What... could it be?'  
  
"Come on NiGHTs!" Lumina smiled and grabbed his hand once more. Her little wings beat furiously to draw him into the new dream. 


	2. NiGHTs into Dreams - Crescent Carnival -...

Dream 2: Crescent Carnival... the Recollection  
  
"Good night Molly." Claris kissed her daughter good night.  
  
"Wait!" the little girl cried, still fully awake even after hearing the Velveteen Rabbit three times tonight, it was her favorite story.  
  
"Hmm?" Claris said, sitting in a tiny chair by her daughter's bed. The whole room was decorated with a sky motif starting with a rising sun at the door and its many orange hues around it, and faded to midnight blue with many twinkling stars painted around her bed. The bed itself had a cozy star covered quilt, and a stuffed Harlequin was the little girl's favorite toy, always at her side.  
  
"Mommy? Would you tell me about NiGHTs again."  
  
Claris laughed, "You really want to dream about him don't you?"  
  
"Oh yes Mommy!" The girl smiled brightly. She had pink hair like her mom, but she had Elliot's clear blue in her eyes. Claris and Elliot had hoped for a long time, that if they ever returned to Nightopia, or if Molly made it there, that their red ideya would attract their favorite hero. Molly had not so secretly wished to go there, and every morning she was very careful to remember her dreams before she went downstairs for breakfast, although she'd been rather disappointed she hadn't seen NiGHTs yet.  
  
"Well... long ago... there was a very powerful, very scary being called Wize Man."  
  
"ooo!" Molly shivered and beat a hand down on the cover of her blankets, "I hate Wize Man! He's baaaaad!"  
  
Claris laughed. "Yes... very bad Molly. Well... Wize Man wasn't content to just rule over his inky bad Nightmares... he wanted to rule over all Nightopia as well, and Nightopia is the land of good dreams!" No mother could be more proud than when they're the center of their child's world, and this was no different. "Wize Man made many evil henchmen called 'Nightmaren' to terrorize the peaceful little Saturn headed Nightopians. And to guard the dreams that he corrupted into Nightmares - he sent very powerful Boss maren. There was Gulpo, Puffy, Gillwing, Clawz, and the most powerful ones Jackle and Reala."  
  
"oooooo...." the girl was sitting up and staring directly at her mother, completely hanging on her every word.  
  
"But... the most dangerous thing he ever created... was NiGHTs."  
  
"NiGHTs? But Mommy! You're telling this all wrong! Isn't NiGHTs a good guys?"  
  
"Yes, just be patient dear." Claris gently guided her daughter back down to her pillow before she continued. "NiGHTs saw that Wize man was a very bad guy, and so he rebelled! Wize man tried to stop NiGHTs and trapped him in an Ideya Palace. But to unlock an Ideya Palace... you need Dream Energy."  
  
"Wow!" Molly began to yawn, snuggling close to her pillow and holding her dolly.  
  
"Mm hmm..." Claris smiled softly. "Well, because Elliot and I had strong red Ideya, we could talk to NiGHTs and he lead us into Nightopia. There... we freed NiGHTs from the Ideya Palace and took flight with him...." At this point she could tell her daughter had drifted into sleep, and gently wrapped the blankets around her. She gave her little girl a kiss and then turned to the door. Elliot had been waiting outside for her and slipped an arm around her.  
  
"That was sweet." he smiled.  
  
"Well, you and I know it's true."  
  
"Mm hmm..." He looked over at their little girl before closing the door. "Who knows, maybe she will meet NiGHTs.."  
  
****  
  
The Nightopian, Mepian, NiGHTs and Lumina reached the new dream. It was more wonderful up close than any of them had imagined. "Wow!"  
  
Before the gang was a bustling carnival of non stop laughs. Fun Houses had waiting lines of Nightopians, while some helped themselves to cotton candy so thick and fluffy it was nearly the size of their heads. Even more humanoid creatures walked among the fair going masses trying their hands at tests of strength and will. They had everything from darts to water guns, and everyone was smiling or laughing.  
  
It was enough for once, to deter NiGHTs from the perpetual gloom he'd been feeling the past few human nights. 'Maybe I was wrong about this place.' he thought, a smile crossing his face.  
  
"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Lumina flew down, swooping low over the crowd and then gently set down, a pink glow lighting under her feet. She'd found a patch of tiles which made sounds and lights when someone stepped on them. She giggled when she stepped on another square which chimed a sweet note for her.  
  
The Nightopian and Mepian looked at each other, nodded, then raced down for the carnival's games. NiGHTs smiled softly then wondered why he was hesitating. "Hey! Wait!" He zipped down into the fair after them.  
  
*****  
  
"Amazing..." Reala commented to himself, looking in a silver rimmed mirror shaped like an eye. It hung neatly on a pillar with a checkerboard motif, which in turn, hung neatly in the air. In the center of the mirror was not Reala's reflection, but the image of NiGHTs happily exploring the Crescent Carnival.  
  
Reala floated away from the mirror on his back, rather wrapped in a pose like someone laying on a psychiatrist's couch with his hand to his forehead. "Hmm... Whatever will I do? This new Dream must be rich in Dream Energies... but to harness them." He grumbled twisting around so his arms were folded, his black lips were turned into a frown and the diamond shape of his mask turned into a cynical expression. "Wize Man..." He rumbled.  
  
Then again, what was it to him? Reala wanted to destroy NiGHTs, and didn't he want to prove that Dream Energies weren't needed? No, it was Dreamers. They were the cause of this world and to eliminate their dream energies would tear them apart too! Reala cackled evilly. Dream energies huh? They could be useful... building power and Night Maren... but where to start? Reala wasn't quite sure, she'd been created by Wize Man yes, but he was the lord of Nightmares and Reala was a relatively young Night Maren, even if he was the most powerful Boss Maren to boot.  
  
"Curses... My dreams... smashed to pieces." Reala again cackled at the irony. "Dreams? That's what this world of Nightopia is all about. So why can't I dream?" A sly grin invaded his face. The Maren's eyes closed and he tried to envision his victory over NiGHTs. Much to his dismay however, he remembered the total loss in being flung helplessly into the floating checkerboard rocks. He gave a fierce growl and clenched his clawed hands into fists.  
  
"Curses! Thousands of them on you NiGHTS!" He suddenly lunged at the mirror and swatted at it with his clawed hands. A sickening nails-on- chalkboard sound ensued, enough to split a normal person's eardrums. His cross face was split and off center in the now reflective broken mirror. The sneer only seemed to deepen. "There is one NiGHTs." he repeated again to himself. He had always said that since NiGHTs betrayed Wize Man, and since he himself returned to the Nightmare's service... why? It was so important to him to be the top brass, the ultimate of his kind, and he was.... but the fact NiGHTs defeated him stung badly. "If Only I could entrap you in that Ideya Palace once more NiGHTs... you have no dreamers now. And even if they come... I would be hunting their energies so they're too weak to help you." He hissed acidly. "What can they do without it after all?" Red Ideya... he loved it, it was his favorite, the rarest, and it was something only he and NiGHTs were able to touch freely unlike any other maren. Even a Mepian had trouble gathering the rare dream energy. Reala sighed, would he really have to go after it himself?  
  
As Reala hung there floating, thinking, drifting off into his tortured web of a mind, something else entered on the breeze. It was accompanied by a sinister high pitched laugh. Instantly Reala Stiffened and turned to the newcomer. "Hehe hehe hehe! Reala! All alone and nobody else to gloat to about your power? How sad!"  
  
"JACKLE!" Reala hissed and immediately went for his invisible throat. That didn't calm him really, even after slam dunking the Boss Maren into the jagged floor, his prized cape flying off the invisible bunny form. He was stronger than that paltry sap, but it didn't matter if he couldn't defeat NiGHTs.  
  
The Magic tricks reject went straight to his cape, then looked up at Reala with wide, knowing eyes. "My my, you're particularly hostile today. Might I ask why?"  
  
"Don't Patronize me you capped coward." Reala's eyes narrowed. "you know well what I want. Unless you know how to get that which I desire, leave me."  
  
"Dream Energy of course." Jackle put up his cane just in time to block Reala's claws from slashing him, but the powerful Maren shoved him into the ground on his back, and those yellow claws were just inches from his face.  
  
"Tell me something I don't know you fool! I've never liked your games..." he hissed.  
  
Jackle cackled. "Don't worry. Ideya is coming... The Captures, the palaces... It's all coming back..."  
  
Reala gracefully floated away from the Maren, crossing his legs and hunching over in a thinker's position. "What's coming?" He said in a much more muted and reflective tone.  
  
"Why Reala... you don't think we were resurrected on our own do you?" If he could smile he would have, but the bunny creature would have to be content with the expressive eyes it had and folded it's cape mysteriously around itself. Like Reala, if less graceful, he floated on into the air to meet the maren eye to eye. Reala graced him with silence rather than a few new bruises. "We're not Nightmaren anymore." He whispered. "We're Memories."  
  
*****  
  
~In a dream we can do, everything we want to. There's nowhere I'd Rather be but here with you!~ Music. A theme. Something that caught NiGHT's ears immediately.  
  
The Purple suited Nightopian, as NiGHTs considered himself one since leaving Wize Man, jolted and turned his head to the source of the noise. The Music was floating gently from a big dome shaped building with many musical notes on its billboard. Crescent Theater. 'Claris!?' Nights thought and swiftly descended on he building.  
  
"Excuse me!" he said, pushing passed several Nightopians. "Pardon me!" He squeezed through a few more and pushed into an even more narrowed passage. He tried to fly, but hit his head on the ceiling and decided to walk it. "Coming through!" He stepped over the Nightopians, groaning as the song was nearing its end. 'Please don't stop Claris! Please!'  
  
"Hey!" One Nightopian called. "No cuts!" another rang. "You're pushing me!" another complained.  
  
"Sorry! Sorry!" Nights sighed and tried collecting himself as he neared the door. A sudden crying sound met NiGHT's ears and he froze dead in his tracks. He looked back behind him at a Nightopian comforting her crying baby. 'Why now?' The music was still going on... if he could hurry. He turned from the doorway and knelt by the Nightopians. "Awww it's okay little one."  
  
The Baby blinked a few times and looked at the smiling jester like being looking down at him. The baby considered it a few moments then burst out in new tears.  
  
NiGHT's expression went queer and his hat seemed to twitch like an animal's ear when it detects an unpleasant tone. NiGHTs took in a deep breath then barraged the child with a series of wild faces and giggles. The baby responded to the faces with laughter and the Nightopian's job was done at last.  
  
~In the nights... Delight... I found someone who truly cares...~ The sound faded.  
  
"OH no!" NiGHTs groaned and twisted around, bolting to the door. A roarous round of applause sprang up as he entered the theater's main hall. In fact, not only was the cheering and clapping raised but Nightopian beings of every size and shape stood up or flew up just level enough to block the Dream Guardian's view. "No!" he cried again, trying to lift off, but in his panic it seemed that he couldn't fly, or something about this room kept him from taking Flight. "Claris!!!" He yelled and bolted for the center isle.  
  
As NiGHTs got to the isle, he tripped over a fold in the rug and landed on the ground face first. After letting out a grunt, he looked up, only to have a Nightopian foot impressed upon his face. "HEY watch it!" Mph.... What goes around comes around. Every Nightopian and their uncle seemed to tread over the ex-maren's face causing more than a few groans from him. Everyone was stampeding out of the building, and each one of them was treating NiGHTs as their personal doormat. "Clar-----~"  
  
As soon as NiGHTs could pull himself off the ground, he did, and tried desperately to push passed the crowd still pouring out of the theater. He could see a pink hared girl walking back stage and he called out for his friend once again, only to have his voice itself trampled against the thunderous sounds of the masses.  
  
The more he tried to push ahead of the crowd, the more he seemed to be pushed closer and closer to the exit. "I don't have time for this!" He complained and then sighed. He finally saw his chance and bolted for the back of one of the theater chairs. Using his balancing talents - not that he generally walked anywhere, reliant on his flying abilities - he went from chair back to chair back, hopping over the general ruckus.  
  
Eventually he made his way to the stage and scrambled passed the mike... yet he was too late. The door the girl had vanished into had disappeared. "Claris! NO..." NiGHTs snorted and kicked the door angrily.  
  
"And now for the Comic Stylings of NiGHTs!!" A little Nightopian called into the mike. Applause flooded the room.  
  
NiGHTs froze a moment, then whirled around on tip toe only to find that in the time it took him to turn around, every row had been refilled with Nightopians and ex Maren, Mepians, and humanoids, some of them perhaps Dreamers. Another Nightopian shoved NiGHTs forward into the mike. It made a high pitched squealing noise and with a loud CLICK, bright spotlights shown down on him. The silence was deafening, and for a few very awkward moments there was no sound. It was interrupted by some random person coughing or clearing his throat. The Nightopian felt completely Paralyzed and dumbfounded.  
  
"Uhh...." squeal.... This wasn't good - sweatdrop. NiGHTs understood perfectly well now what had happened to Claris when she went to try out her singing talents at the Twin Seeds Centennial Fair. All those people staring at her... now at NiGHTs... and the talent scouts in the front glaring, tapping their pencils on the table or drumming their fingers. The red Ideya on his chest glowed a moment and he closed his eyes to think. His eyes opened wide and thoughtful, and he finally spoke out, "So did you hear the one about the Mepian with the---"  
  
About a half hour Later, the Nightopian who'd introduced him came back. Wearing a sparkly black sequin jacket and flashy zigzag tie he made it back onto the stage. "-You've been a great audience all! Thank you and have a good NiGHTs!" NiGHTs waved and handed over the microphone. He walked off the stage, immediately collapsing into an infinitely more relaxed state. 'Phew oh that was bad...' He thought. 'Oh well, it could have gone much worse...'  
  
"And now... Karaoke NiGHTs!" The little flashy Nightopian announced.  
  
'It just got worse.' he rolled his purple eyes. 'Much worse...'  
  
"...First up tonight, Sonic the Hedgehog singing 'It doesn't matter'!" Whistles and applause sprang up from the audience louder than anything they gave NiGHTs.  
  
"Hey! What's that blue pin cushion got that I aint!?" NiGHTs retorted, then rolled his eyes. He didn't want to be in the limelight anyway.  
  
"Oh NiGHTs that was sooo Cool!" Lumina beamed. It took NiGHTs a moment to find her, and looking up, he saw her flying above him, flapping her sweet little teal wings.  
  
His Jaw dropped. "How come you can fly here but I can't!?"  
  
"Hmm?" She replied blankly as a valley girl.  
  
"Oh that's easy!" The Mepian smiled knowingly. He and the original Nightopian NiGHTs had come with were behind Lumina. The Mepian flew up ahead of them and then pointed to a Plaque on the wall. It read as follows - No NiGHTs Fly Zone. (Maginary creatures and Nightopians exempt)  
  
"..."  
  
~...Well I don't show off, don't criticize....~ the Hedgehog on stage started singing.  
  
**** 


	3. NiGHTs into Dreams - Silk Cocoon - The E...

Dream 3: Silk Cocoon... The Entrapment  
  
While NiGHTs and the others Exited the Crescent Theater, a young girl gleefully ran through the fair. She was dazzled by the brilliant lights and many colors. "Wow!" She gasped, it was so beautiful, she'd never seen a place quite like it in any of her dreams. She looked at the little Saturn headed creatures just like the ones Mother described and bounded over to one. "Hello!"  
  
The Nightopian smiled brightly at the girl and bowed his head respectfully. "Hello little girl!"  
  
"I'm Molly." She grinned. "What are you?" She reached out a hand to touch the Saturn ring.  
  
The Nightopian chuckled and pulled away from her grip, suddenly flying into the air. "I'm a Nightopian. What else would I be?"  
  
"Wow! So I'm in Nightopia? Really?" She beamed.  
  
The Nightopian laughed, "Yes, really. Wow, you have a lot of Dream energy." the creature commented.  
  
"Dream Energy?" Molly blinked. Her mom had said something about it before.  
  
"Why of course!" He smiled and pointed to 5 glowing spheres circling the child. Until now she'd thought they were kinda like living balloons. "Those are Dream Energies, you must have a lot if I can see them. See? Yellow for Hope, Blue for intelligence, okay so maybe you don't have quite that much there... umm... Green for Wisdom, yellow for hope... and oh my! So much red!"  
  
Molly giggled. "Courage." She smiled proudly.  
  
"Yep! How'd you know?"  
  
"My Mom told me that to get to Nightopia you have to have lots and lots of dream energies. And if I have enough bravery I might get to even see NiGHTs." She smiled again.  
  
"Mom?" The Nightopian looked confused. "What's a mom?"  
  
Molly stopped a second and thought about it. "Mom. She's the really nice lady who feeds me and clothes me, and makes me eat nassssty brussdel sprouts and wipes my face clean and kisses my boo boos." She thought a little more, "And tells me stories, and tucks me in at night! ^^"  
  
The Nightopian nodded and smiled understanding most of that, then looked confused at the last part. "...Tucks you in... bed? At night?"  
  
Molly cocked her head to one side and stood wobbly on her feet. "You're silly. You mean to tell me you don't know what a mommy, a bed, or a night is?" The Nightopian seriously shook his head.  
  
"You're weird!" she giggled. "If you don't have a mommy or a daddy, then where do you come from?"  
  
The Nightopian Whistled like a bird. "Eggs of course!" He smiled. "That's silly. All Nightopians come from eggs." and bowed his head again.  
  
"Eggs huh?" the child thought. Something caught her eye in the distance, distracting her. "Hey What's that?"  
  
"What's what?" The Nightopian asked, and as he turned around found the answer. Gao (A lion like Night Maren), Crewle Pole (A tadpole Nightmaren with a little rider with a fishing pole), Hollow (an owl), and a Party Maren (A Nightmaren that's a bright pink cute fish with butterfly like yellow wings) were headed for the girl, straight for her. "Oh no!"  
  
"What Mr. Nightopian?" Molly Blinked. "They're cute!"  
  
"They're Nightmaren! RUN!" He grabbed the girls shoulder, twisted her around and shoved her the opposite direction of the maren. A mad rush of horror began at the mere mention of Nightmaren in Nightopia, and everyone began running, pushing and shoving each other out of the way.  
  
Little Molly found herself pushed and shove too, "Mommy! Help!" She cried, "Daddy!"  
  
"Molly! I'm coming!" The Nightopian flew up out of the crowd to help his new friend, only to be knocked for a loop by a Gao. "Molllllllyyyyy!"  
  
"NOOO!" the little girl cried as the leading Hollow grabbed and ripped the green energy away from her. Yank, a Crewle Pole nabbed the White. Snatch! Party tore away the blue. ROAR! A Gao yelled at her, and she screamed and fell back on her rear. He made off with the Yellow, while another Gao dive bombed her for the red. "GO AWAY!"  
  
As the maren hit the Red energy, an interesting thing happened. A Flash of light burst from the dream sphere and Gao roared as if it had been hurt. It tried again to snatch it up in his teeth, but the red energy just would not be his. After a few moments, he stopped trying and flew off after the other maren who were more successful.  
  
****  
  
"By Illumina! What's going on?" Lumina floated up to a safe vantage point after exiting the Theater. "Everyone's running scared!"  
  
NiGHTs eyes widened in alarm. "No! It can't be happening, not again!"  
  
"What's that NiGHTs?" Lumina looked over at her friend.  
  
NiGHTs looked horrified, almost angry, while the Nightopian looked very worried. The Mepian looked both worried and scared and hid behind the Nightopian. "NO! I don't wanna' be a Nightmaren! NiGHTs do something!!" it cried.  
  
NiGHTs flew down and snatched up a passing Nightopian, bringing him to eye level. "What's going on? Tell me this isn't happening!"  
  
The Nightopian shivered a moment before gazing into the piercing lavender eyes staring at him without malice. "NiGHTs! It's horrible! Nightmaren have started appearing in this dream, and they're everywhere!" Nights suddenly let go and the Nightopian fell back to the ground before remembering he could fly.  
  
"NiGHTs??" Lumina chimed again. NiGHTs just hung there in the air motionless until something caught his eye.  
  
"How could this be happening?" The Dream guardian's face became determined. "Nightmaren, here in Nightopia again! But I defeated Wize man....! THIEF! Give back that Energy!" He chased after the Gao with the yellow dream energy in tow.  
  
"N-nights! WAIT FOR ME!!!" Lumina beat her wings at double speed and flew after her friend. "What about Wize Man!?"  
  
The Nightopian and Mepian exchanged looks. "No..." the Nightopian said. "Wize Man can't come back... How could he?"  
  
"But NiGHTs wouldn't have reacted that way... if it wasn't true." the Mepian watched another Maren haul away a sphere of blue dream energy. "Ideya... The Nightmares are coming back!!"  
  
"Oh no, this is terrible! We can't let that happen." The Nightopian said, the Shleep horned Mepian nodded to him. "Ack! Hey! While we've been narrating, they're getting in on the action!" He pointed to Lumina and NiGHTs charging toward the enemy.  
  
"Y-you're right! What are we waiting for!?" The Mepian bolted off after them.  
  
*****  
  
"Well isn't this Interesting?" Reala watched the scene of total panic and chaos with delight curled on those black lips of his. He had his legs crossed and his head on one hand almost boredly. He was seated on his throne with a new Eye Glass hanging in front of him. "What will you do now NiGHTs? Can you stop this rebirth?" he cackled. "The Nightmare's coming back all right... to haunt you."  
  
Reala yawned and stretched, quickly becoming bored with the general chaos. He cracked his knuckles one at a time, each joint giving a sickeningly loud snap. Boredom, that's what he had. It had to be if he was silly enough to be enjoying the sound of his fingers crunching as if it was he crunching an enemy's bones.  
  
"The strongest and the weakest, awakened..." He went on watching a Crewle Pole completely terrorize a helpless Nightopian. He cracked another vicious smile at the sight. How warming it was to him. "But not Wize Man... And how? Stupid Jackle and his riddles... I'm no one's Memory..." He snapped his fingers and the Eye Glass came closer. "Too much..." He idly brushed his hand back and the stone and mirror bent to his will.  
  
"Now what's this!?" His eyes lit up watching a little Pink Hared girl in the crowd. "Claris?" he sneered. Suddenly he wasn't so comfy in his relaxed bored state of being, He was on the edge of his seat and reached out his hand sharply, yanking the mirror off the chunk of stone and holding it at arm's length only. After a moment of Study, he mused, "No... Not Claris... Smaller, younger... but you look so much like that witch."  
  
This created a new problem for the Maren, as he looked on the destruction. Another Dreamer, not Claris or Elliot, had entered their realm. Sooner or later, Reala would have to leave his Checkerboard field with its floating rocks and torches, but perhaps sooner than later. "If another Dreamer is here... NiGHTs will soon be bonded with her to use her Red Ideya...." A low growl erupted behind her. A slow cruel smile twisted onto his face. "Clawz..." The Maren turned around, a black and purple cat with a hunched over look, wicked claws and sharp eyes emerged from the edge of the board. "So you're back as well...? Perhaps I won't have to leave so soon. Clawz!"  
  
A mrow met his ears as the large Nightmare cat, neatly three times Reala's Size, approached the Throne. Reala floated down to the gigantic cat and scratched him behind the ears. A resounding thunderous purr came from it. "Clawz my pet.... I have a little job for you." As soon as he stopped the scratching the Cat was at attention, eyes narrowed. The Maren brought the Mirror level with him. "This child... if you can't get her energy... KILL her." The cat hissed and arched its back, then shattered the mirror into a thousand pieces with its claws. Reala laughed insanely, "Good good... now Go!"  
  
*****  
  
"Nooo!" NiGHTs called, flying after the Maren. The Gao slammed into a Yellow Ideya Capture, and NiGHTs slammed into it just after him. "Rrrr! I don't have any chips!" He cried out. He was held in the center of the Ideya Capture for a few moments, and then rejected like so much bad sushi. "Shoot!"  
  
"NiGHTs!" Lumina said then supporting her friend. "What's going on? What do you mean?? NiGHTs? Please please say something!"  
  
"Ideya Capture..." NiGHTs sighed, the red jewel on his chest flashed. "I can't destroy it unless I get enough chips..."  
  
"Chips? NiGHTS COME ON! Enough of this, let us in on whatever it is NiGHTs! I can help!" the Maginary girl cried out. NiGHTs flew off in a huff, looking for the blue spheres that cluttered the sky generally in groups of 3 or 5. "Rrrrg! I HATE you NiGHTs! Leaving me behind!" She kicked at the air stubbornly.  
  
On the ground below a much younger looking Elliot and Claris were back to back weathering the stampede as only a couple of human Dreamers could. "Elliot? What's going on here?" Claris asked.  
  
"I don't know Claris..." he held his friend's hand. "We're back in Nightopia, but there's Nightmaren everywhere! But how...??"  
  
"This doesn't look good..." Claris shook her head then happened to look up, seeing NiGHTs bolt overhead. "Looks! Elliot! It's him!"  
  
"It is!" the blue hared boy smiled widely. He cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone and shouted at the top of his lungs. "NiGHTs! NiGHTs! It's us!! Claris and Elliot!" It was no use however, NiGHTs was entirely too wrapped up in collecting the Chips to notice that his dreamers which he so longed to be with again were right below him.  
  
Lumina however, was not so distracted and looked down at the two humans. "Hey NiGHTs! You have friends here after -" She rolled her eyes, the purple jester had already vanished into the distance with a trail of white sparkles following him. He performed several loops in the air, each one having a swirling rainbow suck the band Maren into it. For others, he simply plowed into them in a drill spin, causing Maren to bounce around sometimes into Nightopians making yet more Mepians in its wake. "...Reckless... completely reckless." She flew down to the two humans and did a graceful aerial curtsey. "Hi! I'm Lumina!"  
  
Elliot and Claris both stared at each other blankly then at the Maginary girl. "Lumina...? How come we didn't see you last time we were here?" Elliot asked.  
  
"Oh that's easy! I'm not from Nightopia, I'm from Maginary World." She smiled.  
  
"Maginary world? You mean another dream world?" Claris asked.  
  
"Sort of, except Maginary World is made from the hopes and imagination of the world whereas this place is made purely of Dreams! Maginary world also has a goddess, Illumina, and I'm her guardian." She smiled. "I also guard the Precious stones which keep our world in balance."  
  
"Then what are you doing here?" Elliot started and Claris finished.  
  
"Hmm? Oh... Maginary World and Nightopia are so similar, that the boundaries between them are sometimes very weak. Because of that, Illumina can allow me to travel between worlds! As long as I've been doing that I've known NiGHTs... so when Illumina told me he wasn't feeling well, I came right away to cheer him up." Her expressive blue eyes twinkled.  
  
"Something's wrong with NiGHTs? Then why did he just pass us over?" Claris sighed looking up at the night dream's sky. An egg shaped Alarm Clock started floating down the street. "Elliot look! It must be morning!"  
  
"We can't wake up now..." Elliot shook his head. "Take us to NiGHTs...! Now!"  
  
"Ahh well.. I can try!" Lumina blinked... She took Claris and Elliot each by a hand and tried flying up. "It's no use!" She grunted. "I can only carry one of you at best!"  
  
"All right, Claris... I'll catch you later!" he kissed the pink hared girl then ran off through the crowd.  
  
"Ready!" Claris said, and Lumina used all her might to lift the girl into the air after NiGHTs. "Does NiGHTs ever talk about us?"  
  
"Huh? I don't know, It's been a while since I've been in Nightopia." She flew to one side to avoid a Hollow.  
  
"hehe hehe hehe! Oh no you don't!" A giant sized card with a yellow trail on it slammed into the fairy-like creature's back.  
  
"OW!" Lumina cried out and lost her grip on the pink hared girl. "Claris!!" She tried to dive after he, but another green trailed card flew passed her, then a red one. Lumina was forced to retreat. "NO!"  
  
"AAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Claris screamed until she hit --- Blackness for only a moment. She bolted quickly into an upright position in bed, breathing heavily. "No!" She closed her eyes and breathed heavily a moment. She looked beside her, Elliot was still there in be, though he had a distinctly worried look on his face. She was back in the real world, terrified or not. Around her was their room exactly as it had been before they went to sleep, there was nothing wrong, although the light of day was beginning to invade the room.  
  
She decided to give Elliot a few minutes to wake up... Nightopia was in trouble, and if this was like last time that was HIM she was with in the dream... She held her husband's hand tightly for support. "It's okay Elliot.... We've been through this nightmare before."  
  
As Elliot was running through the dream world as his younger self, he heard a little girl cry out in fear. "Molly?!" He blinked and jolted his head toward the sound. In the middle of it all, he saw Several Gao chasing the little girl and her red dream Ideya. "MOLLY!" Elliot called and ran after the girl. 'How did she get here?!' he thought.  
  
Above the girl, someone else heard the cry, someone purple with white sleeves, pink purple and yellow boots, a red and yellow vest with star buttons, and a red jewel on his chest. None other than NiGHTs heard the call, although he didn't know the name Molly. "I'm coming Claris!" He yelled, certain it was her, although she looked younger. Then he saw his old dreamer. A moment of hesitation was more than enough, a Red trailed card struck him in the back, causing him to fly head over heals over head over heals into the dirt.  
  
Elliot's thoughts were first to his daughter though, no matter how much he didn't want to see NiGHTs hurt, he was just a dream, his daughter was real. "Molly! Molly!" He picked up a rock off the ground and threw it at the Nightmaren. "Get away from her you Gao!" the lion roared and turned on Elliot... "Shoooooot!!!!" and he was forced to run the dead opposite way of the Nightmaren.  
  
"Well well.. we meet again." Came a voice with a high pitched laugh attached to it. The little girl had stopped to catch her breath, but she could see above her a floating cape with a bunny head and red and yellow diamonds covered sneakers and a white cape. There was no body... He wasn't speaking to her either, rather, the purple being on the ground.  
  
"You... Alive?!" NiGHTs pulled himself off the ground, but his dream energy was fading. A translucent ripple flew through his body as another card smacked against him. "Oof!" he stumbled back without grace and landed flat on his back. He gave a groan of pain. "...no..." he sighed, and tried pulling himself back up. 'This is not my day...' He could see Elliot running away in the distance and the girl standing out in the open... she had the red Ideya. "Hey! You! Kid! that red ball? can I have it? Please!?" He got back up to his feet only to be knocked back by a Joker's card to the head.  
  
"Like I'd let you get an Ideya like that??" Jackle chortled.  
  
Molly started to cry. "Meanie!!!"  
  
"Wouldn't you rather give that nice rope Red Ideya to me? Jackle?"  
  
"No!" She stuck out her tongue at the Boss Maren. "You're a meanie boss Maren! Why would I give my Bravery to you?"  
  
Jackle was completely taken aback. "What's this? What's this!?" he managed finally to find his laugh. "Now There's a Joker! NiGHTs! She won't turn it over to me! Oh well, I won't let it be turned over to you." He pulled out a very special Wild Card which cackled with energy. "Go back to your world dreamer!" he cackled and let the card fly at the child.  
  
"No!!" NiGHTs yelled and moving with the last of his strength, flew at the girl and shoved her out of the way just as the card struck him full on. His energies and the card rippled and became a burst of brilliant white light.  
  
When the Chaos had cleared, where NiGHTs had stood was now an Ideya Palace. Within it, Nights hung, limp and lifeless, his beautiful lilac eyes shut as if in the middle of the most peaceful dream.  
  
"Molly! NiGHTs! I'm coming!" Elliot shouted, having used his dream energy to how you say... grow up, his more familiar adult form ran through the dirt path of the carnival toward his old Enemy. "Jackle!!!"  
  
"Hmmm?" Jackle turned to the voice. heh, even as an adult he could tell it was Elliot. How many other blue hared kids were here that knew about NiGHTs after all? "You're no use... used all your Dream Energy.... Oh well... It's time for little boys to... WAKE UP!" A card flashed, and an Egg Timer appeared, instantly catching Elliot in its beam.  
  
"Daddy!!" Molly sniffled, watching her father disappear before her eyes.  
  
"Now for you... want to hand that energy over now little girl?" Jackle cackled. To emphasize the point. a giant growling cat slunk around one of the tents, its sights set on Molly. The girl was between now the Rock and the hard place, Jackle before her and Clawz behind her... and NiGHTs asleep on the job, what is a Dreamer to do? 


End file.
